


let the story begin

by boldlygoingnowherefast



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, First Kiss, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-09
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-10-13 01:35:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20574296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boldlygoingnowherefast/pseuds/boldlygoingnowherefast
Summary: Taking music requests at parties where people are drunk comes with certain risks. Like having no clue what song the very drunk, very attractive man is talking about.Avi tries to request a song, and Johann spends the next few days trying to figure out what it is.





	let the story begin

**Author's Note:**

> This is a modern AU in that everyone has real people jobs and there are cell phones, but all the races and classes set up in the Balance universe still exist. 
> 
> Here we go again.

As Johann buttoned himself into his formal clothing, he could feel a headache brewing behind his eyes, dull and heavy. When they started this early in the day, they tended to stick with him, and on a day he was scheduled to play a wedding, no less. Just his luck. Weddings were decent gigs—people were in a good mood, the music selection was usually classier than it was at other events, and they paid well. But they were also long, and when you weren’t at the top of your game to begin with, they were _really _long.

Johann packed his violin snuggly in its case, making sure he had bow rosin, his tuner, and extra strings, god forbid anything unfortunate happen. The wedding didn’t start until later in the evening, but Johann usually arrived to an event hours before it began to make sure the acoustics were up to his standards and to get himself tuned up.

He popped a dose of painkillers, grabbed his bag, shouldered his violin case, and left his cramped apartment to snag a bus to the other side of Neverwinter. The first touches of autumn were putting their mark on the city—the leaves were beginning to turn, and there was a hint of crispness in the air that promised cooler weather. Johann didn’t much care for summer, but winter was just as bad, and he knew autumn would not last long enough to savor it.

Johann felt his mood dip even further as the bus pulled to his stop, and he tried to remind himself that today was a happy day. Killian and Carey were his friends, they were very much in love, and they were getting married. When Killian had asked him if he would play for their wedding, he had accepted with no hesitation, flattered that they wanted his music to be the backdrop of their special day.

He was happy for them, he really was, but sometimes pulling himself out of the fog of a mood was incredibly difficult. He would play wonderfully, like he always did, but he felt bad about dreading the day like he was.

Johann stepped off the bus and stared up at the large nondenominational church where they were holding the wedding. When he stepped through the large front doors, the wedding setup was already well underway. Flowers were being affixed to the ends of the pews, there was someone scrubbing down the beautiful stained glass window, and an event planner was making sure all the implements were in place, including a small music stand, chair, and microphone set up for Johann in the far back corner. He made his way over and began setting up, pulling out his sheet music from his bag, adjusting the stand height to his preference, and taking out his violin to begin tuning it.

The acoustics in the church were wonderful, and the lighting was perfect. All in all, this would be one of his best gigs in a long time, and that was taking into account what would likely be a chaotic reception to follow. 

Johann finished his pre-performance warm-up and tuning and sat down in the chair provided to him to watch the finishing touches fall into place and eventually, to see the guests begin filing in. Johann recognized a handful of the attendees—Magnus gave him a little wave as he took a seat next to Taako, who was clinging to the arm of an immaculate man Johann had never met. Johann also spotted Lucretia near the back, chatting with Merle and his two kids. On her other side, appearing attentive in whatever conversation Lucretia was having with Merle, was a man who was vaguely familiar to Johann but he couldn’t place. He had dark hair pulled back into a ponytail, and even wearing a suit jacket, Johann could tell he had strong arms. Johann turned his gaze away from the crowd and to his violin, plucking the strings for one final tuning.

The mood was bright and happy, and Johann wished he could share it with them. His headache hadn’t lessened at all, and he wondered how he looked to all of these cheerful people. Could they feel his grey mood?

The guests were all inside, the procession started, and Johann’s violin coated everything in a cheerful, celebratory glow. Carey and Killian were beautiful and in love, and Johann watched them get married with the hope that maybe one day he could be as happy as they were.

The reception was held in a large canopy tent in a park near the church, strung with lights to give it a warm and festive quality. There was an impressive spread of food, an open bar, and everyone was in high spirits after a beautiful ceremony and the promise of good music and good company.

Johann was set up on a metal stage piece on the far side of the tent in front of the dancefloor. He had a setlist of songs prepared, including Carey and Killian’s first dance, but he was taking requests as well. He had been playing events like this for years, and the amount of music he knew off the top of his head was extensive. Johann didn’t much go in for modern pop music, but he could certainly play it.

As the evening wore on, a handful of requests trickled in, and Johann obliged the happy crowd. There was plenty of dancing, and the alcohol flowed freely. At one point, Magnus brought him a glass of wine, which he took gratefully and sipped between songs. As a bard, he was often the one observing as crowds steadily grew drunker and drunker, and this was no exception, but the glass of wine made him feel less alienated from them.

Johann swung to the end of a jaunty dancing piece and watched, slightly out of breath, as the man who had been sitting next to Lucretia during the ceremony stumbled up to his stage.

“You’re taking requests, right?” the man asked.

“I am. Got a song you want to hear?”

The man squinted. “Can you play the Halfling dude?

“The Halfling dude?”

“You know, the redhead Halfling guy. With the accent. I wanted to know if you could play his song that’s about shapes.”

Johann shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The man scratched his head, puzzled. “Something about sweet and sour.”

“Can you sing a part of it?” Johann asked.

The man hummed a few tuneless notes.

Johann was still not getting it, and as cute as this guy was, he was going to have to disappoint him. “I’m sorry, man, I don’t know what song you’re talking about. If you remember the name of it tonight at some point, come back, but until then…”

The man looked dejected but he gave Johann a smile. “Thanks for trying. Your music slaps, by the way. Really good shit.” He left Johann to join his friends at the bar and Johann stared at his back for a few moments before skipping to the next song on his setlist. _Panic! At the Disco _was usually a crowd-pleaser.

The night started winding down after that, and Johann got a few more requests, but the man with the ponytail never came back to try again. When all was said and done, Johann went over to congratulate Carey and Killian and then packed his things and caught a bus home.

The question of what song that man had been trying to request stuck in his mind. Johann was usually pretty good about picking songs from the vague instructions people had for him, but this was seemingly impossible. He wondered if the guy himself had even known what he was requesting.

Headache forgotten, Johann lay awake that night desperately trying to piece through this new puzzle. For a wild moment, he considered texting Lucretia and asking her who this man was so he could contact him tomorrow to see if he had figured out the name of his song.

Odds were he wouldn’t even remember trying to request a song. He had been pretty drunk.

Johann had a few down days until his next gig, a family reunion that was laid-back and pretty thoughtless on Johann’s part, and he spent those days in a thoughtful haze. He tried googling a few of the keywords the man had given him but nothing was popping up.

He wasn’t sure why something so dumb was bugging him so much. The man was drunk and had quickly gotten over Johann’s lack of understanding. There was no reason he should be ruminating on this so obsessively.

Johann played the family reunion and then decided to spend the rest of his day sitting in a local café, finishing the composition he had been putting off for long enough now. It was a weekday, so the coffee shop was quiet enough for him to work in peace.

He was in line for his second latte of the day when the thought hit him sideways.

“Ed Sheeran!”

The cashier looked at him nervously. “What was that?”

He blinked. “Sorry, uh. One grande latte please.”

He paid and hurried back to his computer. He googled the top Ed Sheeran songs, found the one he suspected was the right one, and opened the lyrics.

There was the line about sweet and sour.

Johann had found the mystery song: _Shape of You _by Ed Sheeran. Not even a _good_ song.

Johann stood and took his latte from the barista, feeling like his discovery should have been met with a stronger feeling of success. He had figured it out too late, and now there was no one to share it with.

Johann stared down at the paper lid of his coffee and realized he could play _Shape of You _by ear, probably, but he had never actually written it out and added his own flair to it. Johann sighed and tucked his laptop in his bag before slogging out of the coffee shop and into the light trickle of rain that had started. He climbed aboard the bus to his street and snagged a window seat. Almost against his wishes, his fingers fished his phone out of his pocket and pulled up Killian’s number.

_Hey Killian. Who was the dude with the dark hair in a ponytail who was talking with Lucretia at your wedding ceremony?_

He tucked his phone back into his pocket before he could think too much on how stupid that text had been. By the time he climbed up the steps to his apartment, he was in a bad mood again. His phone buzzed.

**No “how’s your honeymoon”? Straight to asking about cute boys huh… I’m assuming you’re talking about Avi. Strong arms? Dorky smile?**

Johann groaned and threw his bag down on the couch. Of course, she would tease him about this. He pinched the bridge of his nose before typing out a reply.

_Sorry. He requested a song from me and I literally just figured out what song he was talking about. How is your honeymoon by the way?_

**It’s wonderful thank you for asking. What song did he request?**

Attached to her text was a cell phone number. He saved the number under ‘Avi’ and hoped this whole thing wasn’t incredibly creepy.

_A stupid Ed Sheeran song._

**Sounds about right**

Johann tossed his phone on the couch and pulled out his violin with the intention of playing a few bars of the composition he had written today, only for Ed Sheeran’s annoying song to stick in his head. He tested out the first few lines of it and then sighed.

It was bothering him enough that Johann knew if he didn’t make his own arrangement of it, it would bug him for days. Pulling out a few pages of blank sheet music and setting them on his music stand, Johann got to work. It would be a good song to pull out during other gigs. It wasn’t like he was arranging it just for that Avi guy. No way.

Johann sat on the song for a few days. He knew it sounded good, especially for a pop song. Johann’s arrangements were always good, and Ed Sheeran honestly didn’t deserve it, but Johann was nothing but a pawn to his muse.

After four days of Ed Sheeran running in the back of his mind, Johann decided the only way to dispel Sheeran’s hold on him was to contact Avi. Maybe then he could finally be at peace.

Johann picked up his phone from where it sat on the arm of his sofa, pulled up Avi’s number, and then stared at the empty text box for a few long, silent moments. So be it if Avi thought him a weirdo. This was Avi’s fault.

_Hey Avi, this is Johann, the bard who played Carey and Killian’s wedding. This might be really weird of me, but your song request has been bothering me. I finally figured out what song you were talking about. _

Johann sent the message with a clenched jaw and prayed to the bardic gods that Avi was a chill person who didn’t think being contacted by near-strangers out of the blue was a weird thing. Johann’s phone was silent for an hour and a half in which Johann worked himself into a buzz of anxiety as he set about cleaning his apartment.

His phone chimed, and he scooped it up. A text from Avi.

**omg really?? What song was I talking about? I was super drunk**

Johann grinned.

_Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You_

**SHIT you’re right that’s the one. Wow, I’m sorry I’ve put you through this…**

_It’s no problem, man. The risks of taking requests at parties._

**lol**

Johann set his phone down and returned to cleaning the bathroom. So that was the end of that whole situation. He was glad he had reached out to Avi, considering how much better he was feeling now.

His phone buzzed again, and he frowned.

**your music really was good. I may have been drunk but I do remember that much. I bawled my eyes out during the ceremony and your music was a big part of that**

Johann blinked down at the phone.

_Thank you. Weddings are one of my favorite events to play. _He paused before hitting the send button, debating on adding to his message. Avi seemed like a cool enough dude this far. It couldn’t hurt. _I have a website if you want to check out any of my stuff? _

**send me the deets**

Johann sent him a link to his professional page, heart fluttering weirdly in his chest. This was ridiculous. He was a professional.

**lit!! **

Johann shook his head, set his phone aside, and continued his day.

The following night, Johann was scheduled to play at the Neverwinter Museum of Fine Arts, and he spent the day practicing his setlist and actually looking forward to the gig. The people that attended the museum’s live music functions were attentive and respectful, and Johann honestly preferred them to any other crowds he played. He always received good tips, and when he placed a small stack of his contact cards on the table nearest him, he often scored more gigs from people who had enjoyed his performance.

There was a decent crowd from the beginning, and it only grew as the night went on. Johann’s setlist was full of more obscure music, as well as a few original pieces, and the crowd was enjoying it immensely. The event was taking place in the large, airy lobby, where the museum event staff had set up a stage and a handful of cocktail tables where patrons mingled, sipped wine, and smiled up at him as he flew through an older original piece that was a tried and true favorite. The song ended, and he stepped up to the mic.

“Hello, everyone. If you’re just joining us, my name is Johann and I will be your entertainment for the night. My contact card is on the table to my left, if you’re interested. I’ll play most parties, and I do some composing work if you’re interested in commissioning me. And if tonight you have a song you’re dying to hear, I’m taking requests.”

He tended to get fewer requests at the museum, most people content with what he had to offer already, and so Johann worked his way through his setlist, pleased with the way the sound of his violin soared up the tall ceiling and surrounded them. He was sure if you wandered the exhibits of the museum right now, you would be able to hear his violin music throughout. It was a pleasing thought.

Every once in a while, someone wandered up to the edge of his stage and stuffed a bill into the jar he left out for tips. About halfway through the event, while he was in between songs and taking a quick swig from his water bottle, a familiar face wandered up to the edge of the stage.

“Avi?” he asked, surprise making him spill a bit of water down his chin. He quickly wiped it up with his sleeve.

Avi looked up at him with a smile. He wasn’t wearing a suit this time, and Johann could already tell he was significantly less intoxicated than he had been at the wedding.

“Hey, Johann! You sound great, dude.” He stepped forward and slipped a bill into the jar.

“Thank you.” Johann was baffled, but he wasn’t sure how to voice the questions knocking around in his head. He was also a bit distracted by the way the dark jacket Avi was wearing stretched around his arms.

“Thanks for sharing your website with me, by the way. Your stuff is wonderful, and I had no idea the museum did live events like this. I’ll definitely be checking them out more often.”

So, this wasn’t a coincidence. Avi had seen Johann was playing tonight and had come here to see him.

Avi made his way to table in the back of the room, and throughout the rest of the evening, Johann’s gaze kept straying there. Avi was fully focused on him, and judging by the look on his face, he really was enjoying Johann’s performance. Johann was used to performing for crowds, but there was something about Avi watching so intently that made him feel seen in a way that was new.

He was nearing the end of his set, and the event was winding down. People were slowly trickling out of the atrium, and the crowd was much smaller now. Avi still stood in the back.

Johann stepped up to the mic. “Alright everyone, thank you so much for coming out to see me. My next song will be my last for the night. Have a good Saturday evening, and I will see you next time. You’ve been a great crowd.”

Johann made eye contact with Avi and grinned as he placed his violin under his chin.

His arrangement of the dumb Ed Sheeran song was amazing, thank you very much, and even though he was in a museum with people who could be considered high-brow if he was feeling generous, Johann didn’t care. He soared into the opening verse of _Shape of You_ and watched as recognition lit on people’s faces.

The reaction was much better than Johann could have hoped. The people who remained in the audience were smiling, and Avi himself was laughing in obvious enjoyment. Johann himself was enjoying the song, happy with his arrangement and how, despite the fact that it was a pop song, he had made it technically challenging enough to be interesting. Johann added a flourish to the start of the last verse, and when he finally pulled the song to a close, it was to a cheer from the crowd.

“Thank you, everyone!” he called, and the stage lights on him dimmed. There were a few people who stayed back and thanked him for his performance and took his card, but they cleared out fairly quickly, leaving the event staff to beginning cleaning. The regular lighting came back on.

Avi wandered up to him as he was carefully tucking his violin back into its case.

“That was awesome,” Avi said, looking up at Johann with a big grin. “I had no idea you’d actually play Ed Sheeran.”

“It gave me so much trouble. I had to do something with it.” Johann looped his violin case over his shoulder and stepped down off the stage.

“You went and put together an amazing arrangement! Just because I made a dumb request at a wedding while I was drunk.” Avi shook his head. “Let me buy you a drink or something, to thank you.”

Johann blinked at him in shock. “You tipped me already. I don’t—”

“Come on, Johann! You arranged a song for me and then played it at a fancy function, just for me! Let me buy you a drink.”

Johann felt his resolve crumbling in the face of such friendliness. Avi hadn’t given Johann any reason to distrust him, and Johann had to admit the man was very attractive. “Alright.”

“Great!”

They walked out of the museum and into the cooling night, where the city of Neverwinter was easing from the dinner crowd to the crowd that was out to go drinking. Johann usually only saw this crowd when he was performing, and with that realization, Johann couldn’t help but think how out of his depth he was here.

“How long have you been playing events like this?” Avi asked, sticking his hands in his pockets and shooting a curious glance at Johann.

“Since my last year of school, really. My gigs were a lot shittier back then, but I’ve been performing for a long time.”

“How long have you known Carey and Killian?”

“I met them through a gig I did for their employer. They were having a summer solstice thing.”

Avi looked at him in surprise. “When was that?”

“A few years back. I don’t remember when, exactly.”

Avi was still frowning. “I work with Carey and Killian. In the engineering department.”

“No shit?”

“Yeah. I’ve been there nearly as long as Killian has, and I go to like every work party.” He shrugged. “Might have been really drunk at the one you played.”

“You were drunk at the wedding.”

They had reached the bar, and Avi held the door open for him. Johann was pleased to see that it was a quieter bar, with an older crowd. His nerves subsided slightly as he followed Avi to a booth.

“I was drunk at the wedding, but my attention was directed at you and that makes all the difference,” Avi said as they took their seats. “If I did nothing but glance at you at that festival, there’s a good chance I forgot immediately.”

Johann set his violin case safely next to him in the booth. “You know, Ed Sheeran isn’t a Halfling.”

Avi looked mildly confused. “Who said he was?”

“You did! You called him the redhead Halfling guy.”

Avi laughed. “I was drunk! I say dumb shit when I’m drunk. And you have to admit, Ed Sheeran looks like he could be a Halfling.” He gestured to the bar. “What do you want to drink? I’ll go up and get it.”

“Bourbon and ginger, please.”

Avi nodded and got up to talk to the bartender. The way the bartender greeted him led Johann to believe that this was a regular haunt for him. Avi came back a few moments later with their drinks.

Johann took a sip of his and eyed what Avi was drinking. “Straight whiskey, huh?”

“It’s _good _whiskey.”

Johann made a face. “That’s a hard pass from me. I’m _gay._”

Avi let out a surprised snort of laughter, and Johann felt his face heat. He hadn’t meant to say that.

“Uh, sorry—”

“No, no, you’re right. This is like a straight-man-watching-horse-racing kind of drink, isn’t it?” He made a face at his glass. “Though if it hasn’t turned me straight by now, I think I’m probably safe.”

Johann’s face was warm, but for a very different reason now.

As Johann chatted with Avi about his job, his friends, and the city, he realized it had been a long time since he had felt this at ease talking to anyone. Avi was friendly, and he didn’t seem at all weirded out by Johann’s dark humor. In fact, he looked like he wanted to hear what Johann had to say, and he kept leaning in while Johann spoke, as if he was sharing a secret. Avi went up and bought them another round of drinks, and even though Johann hadn’t been planning on getting buzzed, by the time he was nearly finished with his second drink, he could feel the warmth of the alcohol pulling at his limbs.

He didn’t mind, though, especially when Avi’s goofy grin meant he was also feeling the buzz of alcohol.

Johann might have gotten just a little bit of a crush. How embarrassing.

Avi watched as Johann took the last sip of his drink. “Do you want to go for a walk? It’s nice out tonight.”

Johann swallowed nervously and realized that even though anxiety was jumping in his stomach, he didn’t want the night to be over yet either.

“Sure.”

Avi left a tip on the table, and they exited the bar into the cool evening air. Avi was quiet as he led them away from the street of restaurants and bars and towards the local park.

“You’re not bringing me out here to kill me, are you?” Johann asked.

Avi chuckled. “The park isn’t that quiet this time of night, don’t worry.”

And he was right. As they neared the park, Johann realized that there were people out walking under the warm streetlights, holding hands and laughing in the crisp fall weather. Johann was not often out this late, and he had no idea that this park was such a nightspot. They walked for a little while, and Johann was surprised to find that the silence wasn’t awkward at all.

Avi paused beside a secluded bench. “Do you want to sit? I didn’t even think to ask you if you wanted to drop your violin off somewhere. Is it heavy?”

Johann shook his head. “It’s not terrible, don’t worry. But I wouldn’t object to sitting for a bit.”

The bench was small, and Avi was angled towards him so that his right knee rested lightly against Johann’s left.

Avi darted a look around the park, his expression somewhat furtive, and Johann felt nervous just looking at him.

“Do you think you could play that song again?”

Johann frowned. “Here?”

“We’re in a secluded spot. No one is going to care. I totally understand if it’s a no, but I would like it a lot.”

Johann stared at his eager expression and thought about the absolutely absurd turn his life had taken. He sighed and set the violin case on his lap. Avi better be glad he was cute, because this was outrageous, and Johann felt like a fool as he prepped his violin.

“Here’s some fucking Ed Sheeran on a peaceful Saturday night in the fucking park,” Johann said. "Let's pray I don't get a noise violation warning." And as Avi watched with a huge smile, he bowed out Avi’s song of choice. If it was a fiercely abridged version, Avi didn’t seem to care.

Johann lowered his violin and opened his mouth to complain about the song choice yet again when Avi leaned forward and kissed him. Johann stiffened in shock.

Avi pulled back, eyes wide. “I’m so sorry. That was way out of line.”

Johann turned and put his violin back in its case, zipping it up securely and tucking it against the side of the bench. When he turned back, Avi was blushing and looking like he was ready to bolt. Johann, feeling emboldened by the alcohol, the lasting effects of his performance, and Avi’s nerves, was able to bridge the gap between them. He grabbed the collar of Avi’s jacket and pulled him into a hot kiss.

Avi’s hands buried themselves in Johann’s hair, and something in Johann unraveled. He deepened the kiss and felt Avi’s moan more than he heard it.

If someone had told Johann this morning that he would very willingly make out with a man on a park bench on what was barely even a first date, he would have rolled his eyes at them. Now, Johann wrapped his arms around Avi’s neck and chased the taste of whiskey on his tongue.

Johann wanted Avi’s strong arms braced on either side of his head and much less clothing between them. The thought made him pull away to see Avi’s dazed expression.

“We should probably—”

“I like you, Johann,” Avi said before Johann could finish. “And I am very interested in where this could lead us if we kept going.” He kissed the corner of Johann’s mouth, surprisingly sweet. “But I also think this has a better chance of lasting if we postpone stumbling home together.” He looked earnest, and Johann felt something tug in his chest. “I’d like to date you if you’d be interested.”

Johann had been ready to take Avi home, but the thought of going to dinner with him, watching him laugh over ice cream or beside him at a concert was very pleasant. He hadn’t dated anyone in a very long time, and Avi was cute and sweet, and he had already proven to Johann that he was interested in Johann and his music. 

“I’d like that.”

Avi beamed. “Perfect.” He straightened his jacket. “I’m going to go home and get some rest. I’ll text you, okay? Maybe we can get dinner sometime this week.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

That night, when Johann still had Ed Sheeran stuck in his head, it was accompanied by a happy flush of warmth. Ed Sheeran’s music wasn’t that good, but if it had led to the new number in his phone, the promise of dates to come, and possibly even someone to warm his bed, well, Johann couldn’t hate Ed Sheeran that much.

He was going to make Avi listen to some good music, though, and it was with that thought that Johann finally fell asleep, eager to see where this tentative new feature took him.

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on [tumblr](https://discocrowley.tumblr.com)


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